A Catholic Girl Explains Islam…https://catholicgirlexplainsislam.wordpress.com
A non-Muslim's educated understanding of Islam and the Middle East!Thu, 14 Dec 2017 00:24:51 +0000enhourly1http://wordpress.com/https://s2.wp.com/i/buttonw-com.pngA Catholic Girl Explains Islam…https://catholicgirlexplainsislam.wordpress.com
My Condolences to the Victims and Families of the Orlando Shooting and a Brief Discussion of LGBT Attitudes in Islamhttps://catholicgirlexplainsislam.wordpress.com/2016/06/16/my-condolences-to-the-victims-and-families-of-the-orlando-shooting-and-a-brief-discussion-of-lgbt-attitudes-in-islam/
https://catholicgirlexplainsislam.wordpress.com/2016/06/16/my-condolences-to-the-victims-and-families-of-the-orlando-shooting-and-a-brief-discussion-of-lgbt-attitudes-in-islam/#respondThu, 16 Jun 2016 15:11:23 +0000http://catholicgirlexplainsislam.com/?p=470Continue reading My Condolences to the Victims and Families of the Orlando Shooting and a Brief Discussion of LGBT Attitudes in Islam]]>As a person with a strong belief in the rights and freedoms of LGBT individuals, I was extremely saddened to hear of the shootings in Orlando. The fact that individuals paid the ultimate price to freely love who they want to love, and to live the way they were meant to live is deplorable. My prayers and continued political involvement will hopefully reflect the change that I feel needs to be made to guarantee that this will be the last mass shooting in the United States.

One thing I wanted to comment on is how immediately following the attack, we began blaming Islam. In reality, it is not one’s religious beliefs that cause mass casualties, its is familial belief and bias. Islam is no more anti-homosexuality than the Bible, and I would even be willing to claim that it is less bias. Homosexuality in Islam is a form of “Zina” which is generally translated as “indecency,” it falls under the same category as adultery, pre-marital sex, and some other “sexual crimes.” In general, Islam’s policy with homosexuality is closer to “don’t ask, don’t tell,” and it is the individual cultural laws in predominantly Muslim countries that have manifested the anti-homosexual sentiment, not so much the religion of Islam. A Pew Research study conducted in 2014 on the general attitude of religious groups towards LGBT individuals, found that Muslims were sometimes more accepting of homosexuality and marriage for same-sex couples than some Christian sects:

I hope this will at least allows for some contemplation on the views of Islam on homosexuality. In the future, I hope that an individual who commits terrorism will be identified simply for what they are: a terrorist, and not have their religious affiliation announced. It isn’t relevant to truly understanding what drive people to commit acts of atrocity and all it does is promote negative stereotypes.

]]>https://catholicgirlexplainsislam.wordpress.com/2016/06/16/my-condolences-to-the-victims-and-families-of-the-orlando-shooting-and-a-brief-discussion-of-lgbt-attitudes-in-islam/feed/0megstewart12Screen-Shot-2016-06-13-at-4.16.02-PMScreen-Shot-2016-06-13-at-4.16.20-PMThe Origins of Islam and the Christian Biblehttps://catholicgirlexplainsislam.wordpress.com/2016/02/11/the-origins-of-islam-and-the-christian-bible/
https://catholicgirlexplainsislam.wordpress.com/2016/02/11/the-origins-of-islam-and-the-christian-bible/#respondThu, 11 Feb 2016 21:07:51 +0000http://catholicgirlexplainsislam.com/?p=379Continue reading The Origins of Islam and the Christian Bible]]>It is well known that many of the stories of the Bible are found in the Qur’an, but did you know that some Muslims believe that the religious shrine in Mecca called the Ka’aba, which Muslims are required to visit in their lifetime, can be found in the Bible?

One of my favorite versions of the story of the origins of the Kaaba and the city of Mecca, comes from Martin Lings’ book Muhammad: His Life Based on the Earliest Sources, but for our purposes I will give a brief summary.

The origins of the religion of Islam, like the other Abrahamic religious traditions, begin with Adam and Eve. The major split in the origin story however, begins with the Prophet Abraham and his son Ishmael. The Islamic tradition claims that the descendants of Ishmael were those who lived within the Arabian Peninsula, so it is Ishmael who truly begins the separate story of Islam. That being said, Prophets found in the Bible that come after Isaac are recognized by the Qur’an with particular importance of the Prophet Moses and Jesus Christ, with Jesus being considered the Messiah but not the “Son of God” (I will do a post about this on a later date).

As the Bible explains, Hagar and Ishmael had been cast out from the tribe of Abraham and sent to wander the desert. The Bible gives very little information on Ishmael after they were sent away, aside a brief story found in Genesis 21:17-20:

17 God heard the boy crying, and from heaven the angel of God spoke to Hagar, “What are you troubled about, Hagar? Don’t be afraid. God has heard the boy crying. 18 Get up, go and pick him up, and comfort him. I will make a great nation out of his descendants.” 19 Then God opened her eyes, and she saw a well. She went and filled the leather bag with water and gave some to the boy.20 God was with the boy as he grew up; he lived in the wilderness of Paran and became a skillful hunter.

The Wilderness of Paran mentioned in Genesis 21:20 is considered to be the Hejaz region of Saudi Arabia, and is mentioned again in Deuteronomy 1:1, Deuteronomy 33:2, in Numbers 10:12 as a place that the Israelites came in rest in the Exodus, and a place visited by David in 1 Kings 11: 17-18, following the death of Samuel.

The further account of the story according to the Islamic tradition, is that the well of water which God created was actually formed at the touch of Ishmael’s heel, and the valley later became a major trading city due to the abundance of water from this well. The well came to be known as ZamZam, which Muslims still drink from when they go on Hajj today.

The other Biblical passage that seems to allude to the existence of the Kaaba and the pilgrimage to Mecca can be seen in Pslam 84:1-6:

How I love your Temple, Lord Almighty!2How I want to be there!I long to be in the Lord‘s Temple.With my whole being I sing for joyto the living God.3 Even the sparrows have built a nest,and the swallows have their own home;they keep their young near your altars,Lord Almighty, my king and my God.4 How happy are those who live in your Temple,always singing praise to you.

5 How happy are those whose strength comes from you,who are eager to make the pilgrimage.6 As they pass through the dry valley of Baca,it becomes a place of springs;the autumn rain fills it with pools.

The Islamic Tradition claims that the Hajj was taken by both Jewish and Christian peoples, and the Valley of Baca is recognized by historians as the city of Mecca, while the “place of springs” is said to allude to the Well of ZamZam.

I have always found it incredibly interesting how aspects of the early history of Islam can be found in the Bible. I believe it serves as a great reminder, especially in this day in age, that the Jewish, Christian, and Muslim peoples inevitably all believe in the same basic principle: The worship and love of a singular and omniscient God!

]]>https://catholicgirlexplainsislam.wordpress.com/2016/02/11/the-origins-of-islam-and-the-christian-bible/feed/0megstewart12Kaaba1911DrawingThe Five Pillars of Islamhttps://catholicgirlexplainsislam.wordpress.com/2016/02/01/the-five-pillars-of-islam/
https://catholicgirlexplainsislam.wordpress.com/2016/02/01/the-five-pillars-of-islam/#respondMon, 01 Feb 2016 19:08:18 +0000http://catholicgirlexplainsislam.com/?p=368Continue reading The Five Pillars of Islam]]>You’ve most likely heard about The Five Pillars of Islam on the news or in a classroom, but most people do not have a clue what they are. So, for this blog entry I want to quickly explain what they are.

The Five Pillars of Islam consist of the Shahadah (the testament or proclaimation), Salat (prayer), Zakat (the alms tax), Sawm (fasting, especially during the month of Ramadan), and Hajj (the Pilgrimage).

The Shahadah is the proclamation or testament to the oneness of God, transliterated into English as “lā ʾilāha ʾillā-llāh, wa muḥammadun rasūlu-llāh”, meaning “There is no God but God and Muhammad is the Messenger of God,” which is the profession of faith made by Muslims and those whom wish to convert to Islam. The Shahadah is considered important for the pious Muslim as it reaffirms that God is the only and first being, and also is a testament to the fact that the Prophet Muhammad is the deliverer of the Word of God and that Muhammad himself is the final Prophet of God.

The Salat is the formal prayer and represents the most visible aspect of The Five Pillars. Many hadith say the first thing Muslims will be made accountable for on the Day of Judgment and the Returning to God will be their Salat. The Salat consists of the Five Daily Prayers which were told to the Prophet Muhammad by God during the Night Journey. The five prayers consist of the Fajr, Zuhr, ‘Asr, Maghrib, and ‘Isha. The Fajr is said before sunrise when the light is just barely visible, the Zuhr is the second prayer of the day and can be said beginning at noon until the time when the shadow of an object is the same length as the object. The third prayer is the ‘Asr, which is said between the Zuhr but before the fourth prayer, the Maghrib, which is said at sunset. The fifth and final prayer of the day is the ‘Isha which is said when the sun has completely set, and the light of the sun is no longer visible.

The third pillar of Islam is the Zakat or ‘purification’ which is commonly translated as ‘the alms tax’. In the early years of Islam, requirements for the Zakat were pretty simple for most people as it is mainly based upon excess wealth, generally considered anything over the value of 3oz of gold. Zakat is given to the needy and those less fortunate often during Eid. The Zakat is considered to be ones debt to God.

The fourth pillar is Sawm, translated as fasting, and is considered to be a universal practice. Sawm takes place during the month of Ramadan and it is the practice of abstaining from food, drink, conjugal relations, smoking, and other activities which could pull an individual away from the focus of God, which is practiced from sunrise to sunset. The dates for fasting are based upon the lunar calendar and is only obligatory for those Muslims who have reached puberty. Special exceptions to fasting are made for those women who are pregnant, nursing, or menstruating and for any individual who has serious health problems.

The fifth and final pillar of Islam, the Hajj, is performed during the last month of the lunar calendar and is the pilgrimage which was practiced originally by Abraham and is not new to the religion of Islam. Muhammad was said to have reinstituted the ways of Abraham by reemphasizing the importance of Hajj in Islam. The Hajj consists of wearing the Ihram in the Holy Sanctuary at Mecca, drinking from the well of ZamZam, camping at Mina, traveling to the Mount of Mercy, Returning to Mina and stoning the three stone idols, and traveling to the Ka’aba.

]]>https://catholicgirlexplainsislam.wordpress.com/2016/02/01/the-five-pillars-of-islam/feed/0megstewart12The Prophet Muhammadhttps://catholicgirlexplainsislam.wordpress.com/2016/01/26/the-prophet-muhammad/
https://catholicgirlexplainsislam.wordpress.com/2016/01/26/the-prophet-muhammad/#respondTue, 26 Jan 2016 15:44:59 +0000http://catholicgirlexplainsislam.com/?p=353Continue reading The Prophet Muhammad]]>I have some mixed feelings about the documentary but overall I feel that this is a decent telling of the life of the Prophet Muhammad, though nothing compares to the excellent commentary of Martin Lings’ Muhammad: His Life Based on the Earliest Sources (See Recommended Reading). There are a few facts I could dispute in this documentary but for the individual who knows little or nothing of the life of the Prophet of Islam, this History Channel documentary is an good first step!

]]>https://catholicgirlexplainsislam.wordpress.com/2016/01/26/the-prophet-muhammad/feed/0megstewart12The Meaning of Īmān (الإيمان): Faithhttps://catholicgirlexplainsislam.wordpress.com/2016/01/07/the-meaning-of-iman-%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%a5%d9%8a%d9%85%d8%a7%d9%86-faith/
https://catholicgirlexplainsislam.wordpress.com/2016/01/07/the-meaning-of-iman-%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%a5%d9%8a%d9%85%d8%a7%d9%86-faith/#respondThu, 07 Jan 2016 14:50:35 +0000http://catholicgirlexplainsislam.com/?p=323Continue reading The Meaning of Īmān (الإيمان): Faith]]>The word Īmān comes from the Arabic root ‘أ-م-ن’ and has approximately seventeen derived forms that are used in the Qur’ān. the form one verb, أَمِنَ, meaning “to entrust” and “to feel secure” is used in approximately sixteen āyāt of the Qur’ān; the form four verb, ءَامَنَ, meaning “to believe” is used in approximately four hundred and seventy nine āyāt; and finally it is used once as the form eight verb ٱؤْتُمِنَ, meaning “to be entrusted”. The translation of the form one verb of the root ‘أ-م-ن’ gives insight into the inner idea of faith and how faith or believing gives a feeling of security within the heart of the individual that believes in the Word of God: “Īmān is an act of heart, a decisive giving oneself up to God and His Message and gaining peace and security and fortification against tribulation.”[1] Therefore to believe is to entrust ones soul and fate to the Will of God, and to not believe or disbelieve is to either not entrust or to refuse to entrust ones heart to the Will of God. The beginning āyāt of the Sūrah al-Baqarah, “The Cow” (سورة البقرة), āyāt two through five, state that the Qur’ān was sent by God as a book for those who believe, and lay out briefly a few key concepts in recognizing a believer within the Islamic faith:

﴾2:2﴿ This is the Book in which there is no doubt, a guidance for the reverent, ﴾2:3﴿ who believe in the Unseen and perform the prayer and spend from that which We have provided them, ﴾2:4﴿ and who believe in what was sent down unto thee, and what was sent down before thee, and who are certain of the Hereafter. ﴾2:5﴿ It is they who are upon guidance from their Lord, and it is they who shall prosper.

Belief in the Unseen, with ‘Unseen’ capitalized to imply God and His angels, along with the performance of daily prayer, the belief in the Hereafter, reverence, and belief in “what was sent down to thee [the Prophet Muhammad] and before thee [the Prophet Muhammad],” mark the six Articles of Faith in the Islamic tradition. The “Oneness of God”, tawhid (توحيد) emphasizes the idea which is laid out in “The Testimony” of the Islamic faith known as the Shahadah (الشهادة‎) which states: “There is no god but God, and Muhammad is the Messanger of God,” (لا إله إلا الله محمد رسول الله). The concept of tawhid (توحيد) marks the first Article of Faith in Islam and is part of the belief in the Unseen. This affirmation leads to the belief in the messages of the prophets of God both past and present, as all of God’s prophets came with a message which affirmed the Oneness of God: ﴾21:24﴿ “And We sent no messenger before thee, save that We revealed unto him: ﴾21:25﴿ “Verily, there is no god but I, so worship Me!” The Qur’ān emphasizes the importance of the worship of God as the singular and only omniscient being throughout the Qur’ān and it explicitly states that God is the ‘One God’ (إِلَـٰهٌ وَاحِدٌ) in approximately eleven different āyāt.[2] In later suwar, the Qur’ān again reminds the reader of what it describes as a true believer, such as in Sūrahal-Anfāl,’The Spoils’ (سورة الأنفال), āyāt two through four, with these āyāt being similar to that of Sūrah al-Baqarah,āyāt two through five stated earlier. However, these āyāt add a powerful image of the heart when it hears the Name of God:

﴾8:2﴿ Only they are believers whose hearts quake with fear when God is mentioned, and when His signs are recited unto them they increase them in faith, and they trust in their Lord, ﴾8:3﴿ those who perform the prayer and spend from that which We have provided them. ﴾8:4﴿ It is they who truly are believers. For them are ranks in the sight of their Lord, and forgiveness and a generous provision.3

The heart (قلب) in Classical Islamic thought, is seen as the spiritual organ through which an individual is able to understand the Spiritual Truth. The heart is considered the aspect of the human being that is able to rationally perceive things, and is the primary organ used to call on the Remembrance of God, dhikr.[3]The heart of the believer is considered to be healthy, as it is illuminated by the Light of God. The heart of the believer strives in the Way of God, to reflect the perfection and beauty of the Unseen: ﴾64:11﴿ “No misfortune befalls, save by God’s Leave. And whosoever believes in God, He guides his heart. And God is Knower of all things.” It is those whose hearts that are guided by God that are content, patient, and grateful, which are regarded as righteous characteristics of the believer.

The Hadith traditions exemplify saying of the Prophet which help define faith as it relates to Islam. The definition of īmān (الإيمان) is broken down by Muhammad in the Hadithof Gabriel, where the Angel Gabriel asks the Prophet to define what it means to have faith and to believe. The Prophet Muhammad then relays to Gabriel the Articles of Faith, which are a reflection of the āyāt previously seen in Sūrah al-Baqarah, āyāt two through five:

He [Gabriel] said “Now tell me about faith.” He [Muhammad] replied, “Faith means that you have faith in God, His angels, His books, His messengers, and the Last Day, and that you have faith in the measuring out, both its good and its evil.”[4]

Faith in its most pure form is simply the belief in God and living in accordance with His will. It is the belief in God and His angels, following the prophetic Sunnah and performing the five daily prayers, belief in the Hereafter, having reverence, and acknowledging the Word of God in scripture, both in the Qur’ān and in the revelations which came before it. Not believing in all aspects of the Articles of Faith pulls the individuals heart farther from the pure remembrance of God. When the early followers of Islam began to spread the message of God and individuals and groups began claiming that they were believers of Islam, God sent an āyah stating to Muhammad and the Muslim community, that there was a difference between submitting to God and having faith in God:

﴾49:14﴿ The Bedouin say, “We believe.” Say, “You believe not. Rather say, ‘We have submitted,’ for belief has not yet entered your hearts. Yet if you obey God and His Messenger, He will not diminish for you aught of your deeds. Truly God is Forgiving, Merciful.”

For Murata and Chittick, this āyah is an example which outlines the separation between the concepts of islām and īmān, in that one can practice in the way of God and submit, but if they do not truly believe or have faith in God and submit for reasons outside of pure belief, the individual is not truly having full belief in God.[5] The Asbāb al-Nuzul of al-Wāhīdi states that the Bedouin which the āyah addresses was of a clan called the Banu Asad ibn Khuzaymah, “They declared themselves to be believers outwardly but disbelievers inwardly.”[6] Submitting to God and having faith in God having an overlapping message in some aspects, but in reality mark two different aspects of belief in the Divine. Looking back at the Hadith of Gabriel, the Angel Gabriel calls on Muhammad to tell him about what it means to submit. The Prophet is said to have replied:

[…]“Submission means that you bear witness that there is no go but God and that Muhammad is God’s Messanger, that you should perform the ritual prayer, pay the alms tax, fast during Ramadan, and make pilgrimage to the House if you are able to God there.”[7]

Compared to the section of the Hadith of Gabriel discussed at the beginning of this chapter, one will find that the concept of islām encompasses more of the outward or physical expressions of belief, while īmān focuses on the inner aspects of belief and the individual spiritual journey of the believer. Submitting one’s self to God can be seen as the first step in the spiritual journey, but the journey itself comes with the inner knowledge of the Truth and the development of faith.

To believe then is to submit, to be grateful, to fear God, to actively seek God, and to place God at the forefront of thought and action. It is through faith that one is able to act in the Way of God and it is through faith that one is able to fulfill the pre-temporal covenant with God and return to God in Paradise. The tests of life are what inevitably display ones devotion and disposition to God, and it is how one acts in accord with faith in God that sets the believer apart from the disbeliever.

]]>https://catholicgirlexplainsislam.wordpress.com/2016/01/07/the-meaning-of-iman-%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%a5%d9%8a%d9%85%d8%a7%d9%86-faith/feed/0megstewart12Wahhabism: What it is and how it differs from Mainstream Islamhttps://catholicgirlexplainsislam.wordpress.com/2015/12/21/wahhabism-what-it-is-and-how-it-differs-from-mainstream-islam/
https://catholicgirlexplainsislam.wordpress.com/2015/12/21/wahhabism-what-it-is-and-how-it-differs-from-mainstream-islam/#respondMon, 21 Dec 2015 19:04:59 +0000http://catholicgirlexplainsislam.com/?p=208Continue reading Wahhabism: What it is and how it differs from Mainstream Islam]]>One of the big mistakes made by individuals who do not understand Islam is that there is no solid definition which defines a “Muslim Country.” As expressed by Reza Aslan in my first post on this page, each country in the Middle East and parts of Asia practice various form of Shari’ah which are based on different mindsets or categories that branch from either Sunni or Shi’a Islam. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is one of the strictest countries in the Middle East due to its adherence to the religious movement known as Wahhabism.

Wahhabism stems from the Hanbali school of Shari’ah and is distinct from the other Sunni schools in that it favors independent reasoning, i.e. the process of understanding the primary sources and extracting from them guidance and ruling in a systematic manner (Ijtihad), over the act of following the legal decisions formulated by Mujtahids (legal scholars who use foundational texts and legal reasoning to derive legal rulings), rather than deriving them on one’s own (taqlid). The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia works well with Wahhabism primarily due to the fact that Wahhabism calls for obedience to a just Muslim ruler, and requires an oath of allegiance to the just Muslim ruler who is in consultation with Islamic religious scholars (Ulama) and holds primary political power, which Wahhabis believe is an important aspect of a real Islamic government. This differs from the basic principles over governing set forth in Sunni Islam, which believes in a ruler elected by a majority of believers, and is reflective of the Sunni belief that the successor of the Prophet Muhammad should be elected by the Muslim community based on how pious the individual was, and that individuals relationship with the Prophet at the time of his death.

Wahhabism was introduced by Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab, a Sunni Muslim scholar born in the early 1700s, who believed that Muslims had drifted away from the pure form of Islam and the principles set out by the first three generations of Muslims following the Prophet Muhammad. Al-Wahhab emphasized the importance of strictly adhering to the laws set forth by the Qur’an and the practices of the Prophet Muhammad, with its ultimate goal set to have every Muslim act as a living embodiment of God’s laws on earth. Al-Wahhab introduced his ideology to Muhammad ibn Saud, a Muslim ruler whose descendants are now the present day rulers of Saudi Arabia, and a pact was formed by the two men. The pact gave ibn Saud political and military authority over their combined followers, while al-Wahhab was given religious authority. Al-Wahhab’s teachings stemmed from the original form of Salafism, with most Islamic scholars referring to Wahhabism as Saudi Arabia’s form of Salafism.

Wahhabis understand the Qur’an through a literalist interpretation of each verse, generally without consulting Sunni Qur’anic Commentary (Tafsīr) or consulting the Occasions of Revelation (Asbāb al-Nūzul), with both forms of the supplementary sources of the Qur’an considered vital for proper interpretation with main stream Sunni and Shi’ite Islam, as well as the Islamic mystical tradition of Sufism.

There are a number of major ideas that Saudi Wahhabis believe that differ from what I would called “mainstream Islam.” For instance, Wahhabis are allowed to accuse someone of being a non-Muslim who claims to be Muslim (the action in Arabic is known as Mukaffir), which is considered a bad practice in the Qur’an. Some Examples from the Islamic Prophetic tradition which explains that it is not good to call a believer a disbeliever can be seen in the Qur’an. In the chapter (surah) or the Qur’an entitled The Women (al-Nisā’), verse ninety-four states:

(4:94) O you who believe! When you go forth in the way of God, be discerning, and say not unto him who offers you peace, “You are not a believer,” seeking the ephemeralities of the life of this world, for with God are abundant spoils. Thus were you yourselves beforehand, but God has been gracious to you. Therefore be discerning. Truly God is Aware of whatsoever you do.[1]

The concept is further strengthened through the Hadith tradition. Examples of this can be found in the Hadith collection of Sunan Abi Dawud’s “Book of Model Behavior of the Prophet” which states:

“Ibn ‘Umar reported the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) as saying: If any believing man calls another believing man an unbeliever, if he is actually an infidel, it is all right ; if not, he will become an infidel.”[2]

As well as in Sunan Abi Dawud’s “Book of Jihad”:

“The Prophet (ﷺ) said: Three things are the roots of faith: to refrain from (killing) a person who utters, “There is no god but God” and not to declare him unbeliever whatever sin he commits, and not to excommunicate him from Islam for his any action…”[3]

Other ideas which greatly vary from mainstream Islam is the rights of women. Women in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia must have a male chaperon when traveling and it is generally the male head of household’s decision whether or not a woman within his family should receive an education. In mainstream Islam, a male chaperon is not required and women are allowed to be educated at any level as the Qur’an emphasizes the importance of seeking knowledge for both men and women. In Saudi Arabia divorce is allowed under certain circumstances but must be approved by the husband before it can be brought before a Saudi court. A woman can also be imprisoned or put through trial for suspected infidelity, even if there is a lack of proof and a man is able to have multiple wives. This differs from the mainstream view greatly as divorce is allowed for both men and women and can be brought to a court by either party. A man is allowed to take more than one wife however, marriage in Islam is considered a contractual obligation, so if the wife states in the marriage contract that her husband cannot take any additional wives, her husband will be unable to take additional wives without renegotiating the marriage contract or filing for divorce.

The final difference I will address is the view of Wahhabism to with regard to cultural and historical artifacts and sites. Archaeology and historic remains are outlawed in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia due to the idea that historical and cultural object and sites could eventually lead to idol worship that was common during the “Time of Ignorance” (Jahiliyyah). The only historical sites considered to be sacred and not to be destroyed are the Well of Zam Zam (where God provided water for the Prophet Ishmael), the Kaaba (the cube shaped sanctuary in Mecca), the stone devils outside Mecca, early mosques, and the site of battles during the time of the Prophet Muhammad. There was major outrage in Saudi Arabia in the early 2000s when a site said to be the house of the Prophet Muhammad’s was bulldozed and replaced with a Starbucks in the city of Mecca. Mainstream Islam on the other hand, does not promote the destruction of cultural and historical artifacts and sites, especially since cultural heritage and family histories are considered an important aspect of Middle Eastern Culture, with many Middle Eastern families able to trace their family trees back to the time of the Prophet Muhammad and with some being able to trace their families back even further.

I am constantly asked what is actually going on in Syria, and which countries are allied with specific sides. One of my favorite videos to give a quick overview of what is going on is Syria was created by BBC News. I will say that I do not feel the video provides a complete insight on the conflict, and that the stance of Kurdish forces is not as simple as the video portrays. Regardless, the video provides an accurate depiction of the complexity of the conflict currently happening in the Middle East.

I am thrilled to see that Saudi Arabia has elected its first round of female council members to various municipal courts in Saudi Arabia. What makes this even more interesting is that there was only a twenty-five percent voter turn out for the first round of elections in which women were both eligible to vote and run as candidates. The BBC reports that in this election 978 women ran against 5,938 men for the 284 council seats, with only 130,000 women registering to vote in this election against the 1.35 million men who are registered to vote in Saudi Arabia.

The only aspect about this election that I find unfortunate is that it was only 18 seats of the 284 available. However, for the first election allowing women to run for office and to vote in what is general considered the most conservative Muslim country, I can only hope this small victory will eventually lead to greater victories for Saudi women in the future…

Now if we could only convince the Saudi Government to allow women to drive without being fined or to allow women to attend school or travel without the consent of a male guardian… but more on that at a later date!

Here is a great quiz created by the BBC to test your knowledge of Women’s Rights in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia was established in 1931 by the Ibn Saud family and is one of the United States’ best allies in the Middle East. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia practices a form of Islam known as Wahhabism… but I will write more on that later.

]]>https://catholicgirlexplainsislam.wordpress.com/2015/12/10/test-your-knowledge-of-womens-rights-in-the-kingdom-of-saudi-arabia/feed/0megstewart12we_can_do_itDecember 8th: The Feast of the Immaculate Conception- and Islam!https://catholicgirlexplainsislam.wordpress.com/2015/12/09/december-8th-the-feast-of-the-immaculate-conception/
https://catholicgirlexplainsislam.wordpress.com/2015/12/09/december-8th-the-feast-of-the-immaculate-conception/#respondWed, 09 Dec 2015 20:55:51 +0000http://catholicgirlexplainsislam.wordpress.com/?p=84Continue reading December 8th: The Feast of the Immaculate Conception- and Islam!]]>

The Feast of the Immaculate Conception celebrates the absolute belief in the Immaculate conception of the Virgin Mary. It is celebrated 9 months before the Feast of the Nativity on September 8th, and is one of the most important Marian feasts celebrated in the liturgical calendar of the Roman Catholic Church celebrated worldwide!

In honor of the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, here is a quote from Surah Al ‘Imran (The House of ‘Imran), ayat 42 through 48 of the Qur’an:

(42)And [remember] when the angels said, “O Mary, truly God has chosen thee and purified thee, and has chosen thee above the women of the worlds. (43) O Mary! Be devoutly obedient to thy Lord, prostrate, and bow with those who bow.” (44) This is from the tidings of the Unseen, which We reveal unto thee. And thou wast not with them when they cast their lots [to choose] who among them would care for Mary, and thou wast not with them when they were disputing. (45) When the angels said, “O Mary, truly God gives thee glad tidings of a Word from Him, whose name is the Messiah, Jesus son of Mary, high honored in this world and the Hereafter, and one of those brought nigh. (46) He will speak to people in the cradle and in maturity, and will be among the righteous.” (47) She said, “My Lord, how shall I have a child while no human being has touched me?” He said, “Thus does God create whatsoever He will.” When He decrees a thing, He only says to it, “Be!” and it is. (48) And He will teach him the Book, Wisdom, the Torah, and the Gospel.[1]